Combat Expertise

Feat Descriptions

Combat Expertise [Combat Expertise]

Prereqs Int 13

Benefit When you use the attack action or the full attack action in melee, you can take a penalty of as much as -5 on your attack roll and add the same number (+5 or less) as a dodge bonus to your Armor Class. This number may not exceed your base attack bonus. The changes to attack rolls and Armor Class last until your next action.

Normal A character without the Combat Expertise feat can fight defensively while using the attack or full attack action to take a -4 penalty on attack rolls and gain a +2 dodge bonus to Armor Class.

Special A fighter may select Combat Expertise as one of his fighter bonus feats.

Improved Disarm [Combat Expertise]

Prereqs Int 13, Combat Expertise

Benefit You do not provoke an attack of opportunity when you attempt to disarm an opponent, nor does the opponent have a chance to disarm you. You also gain a +4 bonus on the opposed attack roll you make to disarm your opponent.

Normal See the normal disarm rules.

Special A fighter may select Improved Disarm as one of his fighter bonus feats.

A monk may select Improved Disarm as a bonus feat at 6th level, even if she does not meet the prerequisites.

Improved Feint [Combat Expertise]

Prereqs Int 13, Combat Expertise

Benefit You can make a Bluff check to feint in combat as a move action.

Normal Feinting in combat is a standard action.

A fighter may select Improved Feint as one of his fighter bonus feats.

Improved Leverage [Combat Expertise]

Prereqs Combat Expertise, Improved Trip

Benefit You get a +4 bonus to your ability checks when initiating or defending against a trip attempts, and a +2 bonus to all grapple checks.

Improved Parry [Combat Expertise]

Prereqs Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Parry

Benefit You can parry touch attacks as well as melee attacks.

Normal You can parry melee attacks but not touch attacks.

Improved Trip [Combat Expertise]

Prereqs Int 13, Combat Expertise

Benefit You do not provoke an attack of opportunity when you attempt to trip an opponent while you are unarmed. You also gain a +4 bonus on your Strength check to trip your opponent.

If you trip an opponent in melee combat, you immediately get a melee attack against that opponent as if you hadn’t used your attack for the trip attempt.

Normal Without this feat, you provoke an attack of opportunity when you attempt to trip an opponent while you are unarmed.

Special At 6th level, a monk may select Improved Trip as a bonus feat, even if she does not have the prerequisites.

A fighter may select Improved Trip as one of his fighter bonus feats.

Parry [Combat Expertise]

Prereqs Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes

Benefit When hit with a melee attack, you may use an immediate action to attempt to parry. Make a hit roll against the AC your attacker hit; if successful you negate that hit.

Riposte [Combat Expertise]

Prereqs Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Parry

Benefit After a successful parry, you may use an immediate action to make an attack at full base attack bonus against your attacker.